


Sibling Rivalry

by bookworm03



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, Secret Relationship, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-09-06 03:06:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8732359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm03/pseuds/bookworm03
Summary: Ingrid's going on a date with someone who's cute, smart and funny and all Leslie can do is sit back and watch.





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a crazy idea I had one night and ended up deciding to put to paper. I hope you guys enjoy it! Part two to follow!

“What about this one?”

It’s 6:54PM. Ingrid’s hair is in a towel, she’s got her housecoat wrapped around her securely and there isn’t a stitch of makeup on her face. Instead, there’s approximately eighty-five dresses spread out over her canopy bed. The ties for one side of the drapes is broken and Leslie has to keep pushing chiffon away to see what her sister’s talking about. The tasteful lace top she holds out is a beautiful color of cream. Leslie’s fairly certain it cost more money than Leslie makes in a week, but that’s what happens when your big sister gets a job at a boutique in Eagleton and you’re making minimum wage at an after school program for kids. Ingrid gets a massive employee discount.

Not that Leslie would care about being able to shop at a fancy boutique.

They saw Ingrid’s date at the movies a few nights ago. Star Wars was playing at the theater down the street and they’d been there, with huge buckets of popcorn getting ready to watch it. Ingrid had hated it but she’d said exactly the opposite to the guy who caught their respective eyes in the lobby afterwards. He was older, Leslie guessed. He had a bit of scruff and messy, spiky hair and dark brown eyes.

And a jaw that could cut through glass.

Leslie’s heart had fluttered, but Ingrid had gotten there first. She put her hand on his arm and asked him out. And tonight they were going on their first date.

“It’s pretty” Leslie insists. “You’ll look great.”

“Ugh” Ingrid throws up her hands. “Unless I should wear a dress in case he wants to...It’s just the first date I’m not going to let him do _everything_.”

Leslie pulls a face.

“Maybe you should ask Mom.”

“Ask Mom what?” Marlene pushesher head into the bedroom. Leslie seizes the opportunity to grab her bag of cookies and make a beeline for the stairwell. There was a documentary series on called The Presidents. Last Friday had been _From Washington to Monroe_. Tonight was Q _uincy Adams to Tyler_.

“Leslie - ”

“Call me if you need help!” She wouldn’t. Ingrid never needshelp from her baby sister.

Leslie’s shoving another cookies into her mouth and wiping her hands on the sides of her sweats when she sees him. She hadn’t even heard the doorbell, but there he is. Tall, lithe, his dark hair combed back but entirely untamable.

And that jaw. A jaw that she wants to lick, but it’s about to be Ingrid’s to lick now.

“Uh...hi” he waves slightly. He’s got flowers in his hand. They’re fresh tulips and Leslie imagines they’re for her. She imagines inhaling deeply before handing them to Ingrid to put in water as they rush out the door. Ben is not a high school boy. No high school boy has ever brought her flowers.

Not that there have been many high school boys in general.

“You’re...Leslie, right?”

A betraying strand of hair slips out of a pigtail and Leslie’s cheeks grow hot. She tries to tuck it back in discretely.

“Yes.”

“You were at the movies.”

“I...yes, that is correct, sir, Mr. Ingrid’s Date - ”

“Ben” Leslie takes a few more steps and he holds out his hand. She swallows hard.

“Leslie.”

His hand is large and warm. It makes a shiver roll through her. Crap on a crayon, she can’t be shivering because of Ingrid’s date.

“Is uh, she almost ready?”

“No” Leslie answers and then quickly backtracks. “I mean...sure...she should be down in two jiffs! She’s not taking unnecessarily long to do anything and going to make you wait.”

Ben smirks. “So she is doing that.”

Leslie giggles in a way that sounds a little evil to her own ears. “I’m sorry” she can keep him company while he waits. She’s about to say that when her father calls -

“Leslie! It’s starting!”

She blushes. “Um. I can watch it lat - ”

“What are you watching?”

Now, her face is flaming.

“A documentary on the presidents.”

“Oh, well” Ben grins a little. “I do love a good documentary and it sounds like I have some time to kill.”

Leslie’s heart skips a few dozen beats as she leads Ben into the den where the TV is on. Her father is already there with sodas and popcorn. He pats her leg as she walks to the sofa and sits on one side. Ben takes the other, a full cushion between them.

Leslie tries not to think about how she can still smell Ben’s cologne as she gets absorbed in the life and times of John Quincey Adams.

*****

Okay, she’s extremely conscious of Ben sitting across the sofa from her. Marlene enters to assure them Ingrid apologizes and will only be a few more minutes (more like their mother was apologizing _for_ Ingrid and she’ll be another hour). They munch popcorn, the butteriest most delicious popcorn ever because that’s the only kind her father knows how to make. Leslie hears her parents raising voices in the kitchen (about Ingrid being inconsiderate, Leslie hopes). Ben discreetly reaches for the remote and turns up the volume on the TV.

“You’re really into this” he murmurs.

“I have a lot of feelings about the economy of 1837.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Ben smirks.

“What about the economy of 1836?”

“Well you can’t have the economy of 1837 without the economy of 1836, Ben.”

They reach into the bowl at the same time and Leslie jolts when Ben’s fingers brush hers. He pulls away and shoves a mouthful passed his lips.

“Part three is next week?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll have to watch it.”

His gaze slants and Leslie swallows a whimper. Ingrid’s date should not be allowed to make her whimper.

“ _Some_ people might say this isn’t as exciting as Star Wars, but they would wrong.”

“Super wrong.”

“Thank you.”

“Although, Star Wars is pretty awesome.”

“Ingrid hates it” Leslie blurts out and then clamps a hand over her mouth.

“What?”

“Ingrid...I mean...she _may_ have exaggerated how much she likes Star Wars to go on a date with you. But just...slightly.”

“Slightly” he arches an eyebrow and Leslie winces. “And what about you?”

“I liked it. Probably not as much as you did but I liked it.”

“What’s your favorite part?”

“Leia” Leslie answers without hesitation. “Particularly when she starts shooting the gun at the stormtroo - ”

“Blaster” Ben corrects and Leslie rolls her eyes as the commercials end.

She’s talking animatedly about next week’s special when a small noise interrupts them. Ben doesn’t acknowledge it so Leslie keeps going until there’s a much louder, more obvious throat clear. They both jolt and Ben whirls as Ingrid steps into the light. Her hair is perfectly curled. She opted for a tight, printed sun dress that emphasized her small waist and every other curve on her body and her lips are a plump, shiny pink.

“Um...wow” Ben stands up abruptly and almost sends the bowl of popcorn flying. Leslie fights the urge to pull a face. “You look great.”

“I’m so _sorry_ it took so long” Ingrid coos. “I just wanted to look perfect.”

“It’s okay. It was worth the wait.”

His gaze flits wildly over the room and Leslie decides he must be nervous or horny or something. Ingrid has that effect on people. They’re probably going to drive around the corner and make out in the car. Or maybe even have sex. She doesn’t talk to Ingrid about that kind of stuff much, but she knows her sister has definitely _done it_.

She’s a junior in college who’s had a dozen boyfriends after all.

“Are you ready to go?” Ingrid beams at him. Ben’s brow furrows as Robert and Marlene enter the room.

“The theater will be cold. Do you want to grab a sweater or something?”

“Can I have your jacket?”

Ben reaches for it from the back of the chair and offers it to her, the muscles in his forearms flexing as he does this. Leslie tries her best not to notice, but she can’t help it if he’s not terrible looking.

“Sure.”

Ingrid pouts until he helps her into it and then turns to their parents.

“We’ll see you - ”

“Midnight” Robert orders firmly. “Not a minute later.”

“Yes sir.”

“And he’ll wait up, so no kissing goodnight on the porch” Marlene warns. At that, Leslie definitely pulls a face and Ingrid’s cheek color. They know this from experience

“Enjoy the movie.”

“Thanks!” Ingrid beams and takes Ben by the hand. I’m so super excited to see it again!”

Ben purses his lips and Leslie clamps down on her own to hold back a giggle.

“Midnight” Robert reminds them as they head for the door. Ben acknowledges again and lets Ingrid lead him out into the driveway. When the car’s gone, Leslie pulls the entire popcorn bowl into her lap, deflating just a little. She’d been having fun with Ben. Obviously, he’d been hoping Ingrid would hurry up and come downstairs but he’d at least sort of seemed to enjoy the documentary. And he definitely ate a lot of the popcorn.

“That was nice of you to keep Ben company” Robert rubs her leg.

Nice, self-serving even though she wasn’t going to get anything out of it.

Leslie goes back to watching her show, as Robert exchanges a pointed look with her mother.

Whatever that’s about.

*****

Ingrid returns home just a few minutes before midnight. She does not look happy.

“He’s boring” she tosses her purse on the couch. “And I think Dad scared him, he wouldn’t even kiss me goodnight in the car.”

Leslie can’t help it, she feels a little flicker of joy at this.

“How was the movie?”

“As bad as it was the first time except oh my god, he would not shut up about it. I think it’s the only thing he knows how to talk about - that and the documentary you were watching with Dad. I guess we can’t all be art history majors” she waves her hand with a flourish. “Maybe I’ll go to the Sorbonne after graduation. I can meet a French guy who knows how to treat a lady.”

“Maybe” Leslie thinks of the way Ingrid had demanded Ben’s coat instead of grabbing her own sweater.

“Oh well” she smiles. “You win some, you lose some. Should I braid your hair? A French braid?” she wiggles her eyebrows. “You can tell me about Mark!”

Leslie almost asks _Mark who_ but then remembers she’d been telling Ingrid about a cute, tall guy in her homeroom. He didn’t exactly pay attention to her, but they had super made out at Tom’s party last week and Ann had said he’d seemed really into it.

“I still have cookies” Leslie explains cheerfully. Ingrid crinkles her nose.

“You know I’m watching my figure.”

Ugh, just when they were having a nice conversation.

*****

It’s Wednesday of the following week after school. Her parents are at work and Ingrid’s at some freshman welcoming committee meeting when the doorbell rings. Leslie gets up slowly, peeking between the heavy charcoal drapes. She has no intention of answering it, unless it’s maybe girl scouts selling cookies.

It’s not.

It’s Ben holding a different bouquet of flowers.

Leslie scrambles, even though she should totally ignore him. But the flowers are a beautiful and Ingrid’s not home, so it’s not like her sister will be any the wiser if Leslie speaks to him for five minutes. She pulls the door back quickly and her heart leaps into her throat when he smiles.

He’s definitely not terrible looking.

“Hi.”

“Uh, hey” he licks his lips. “I...how are you?”

“Fine” she bites down on her lip and waits for him to explain his intentions. When he says nothing and continues to stare Leslie blurts out “Ingrid’s not here!”

“No” Ben swallows. “I knew that.”

“And she had an awful time, apparently and called you boring. So if you’re grovelling to ask for a second chance you better pull it together fast because a dozen boys want to ask her out and she’s talking about going to France and getting a real man.”

Ben’s lips twitch and her stomach does the same. He shifts the vibrant purple flowers in his hand.

“These are for you.”

Leslie’s mouth is instantly dry. “Say what now?”

He hands her the bouquet and she can tell instantly they’re fresh. The scent floods her nostrils and she inhales deeply.

“These are for me?”

He smirks. “Yes.”

“You brought me flowers.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“To ask you something.”

“To help you get Ingrid back.”

“No” he crinkles his nose. “I...my minor is in history, did I mention that?”

“Uh huh.”

“There’s a lecture, open to the public on global - ”

“Yes!” Leslie gasps. Ben’s smirk turns into a grin.

“I mean” she swallows. “Were you going to...?”

“You don’t even care what it’s about.” It’s a history lecture, what more does she need to know.

“No.”

“It’s definitely not going to be the most fun date, but I thought you might be the only person I know who would elect to do that on a Saturday morning.”

“I sleep four hours a night; I’d be up anyway.”

He laughs, probably because he thinks she’s exaggerating. She’s not.

“So, great” he steps a little closer and Leslie’s braces herself in case he wants to make out. He’s a _20-something_ putting himself through college so she better bring her A game if he does. “That’s...great.”

“Great.”

“I’ll pick you up around seven-thirty?”

Leslie nods dumbly.

“We probably shouldn’t say anything to Ingrid. Just...for now. Not that I’m assuming she’s heartbroken or something.”

“You! You were practically drooling over her, though!” Leslie’s skepticism returns. “She came into the room and you could barely speak. You said it was worth the wait!”

“Right...because I got to talk to you” he says it quietly, like it’s not the most romantic thing anyone has ever uttered to Leslie in her entire life. She clutches the flowers more tightly and wills her heart to stop beating so rapidly. She can’t wait to call Ann.

Oh god, what does someone wear to a university lecture date?

“So, Saturday. I won’t ring the doorbell.”

“Okay.”

He reaches forward and tugs lightly on the front of her shirt.

“See you Saturday.”

She replies - with what she can’t remember - and collapses onto the sofa as soon as the door closes.

Wow. Wow. Wow woooow.

*****

Leslie ends up putting on a pleated mini skirt and a crisp white blouse. She covers herself in a simple blazer and pins her hair back neatly. This is what kids probably wear to college. They want to look professional after all.

The skirt is Ingrid’s. Leslie felt badly lying to her face, but when she told Ingrid she was going to a history lecture with “Mark” Ingrid had sprung into action, helping her lay out her clothes and asking why on earth someone would choose that as a first date. Leslie didn’t even get her usual four hours of sleep the night before. She’d been so excited it had threatened to bubble over and she hadn’t been able to settle down.

At one point during the evening Ingrid had said something about how rude it was of Ben to have not called her back.

“But, I thought he was boring!” Leslie had squeaked, stomach twisting with guilt. Ingrid had shrugged in response.

“He still should’ve called.”

Now Leslie’s watching through the blinds when Ben’s car pulls up at the end of the driveway. She reaches for her bag and heads to the door, but a hand on her elbow causes her to halt.

Oh crap.

“Good morning, Leslie” her mom smiles knowingly. “What’s with all the secrecy?”

“What? I’m not being secret! There’s nothing secret! I told you I was going out today!”

Marlene lifts an eyebrow. “So, you’re going to this lecture with Mark.”

“Yes.”

“And how long will you be?”

“It ends at noon.”

Ben had told her that on the phone the night before when everyone else had been out again. He’d been sitting on his bed while they talked and the very thought had made Leslie feel warm all over.

“Four hours” Marlene pauses. “So, Mark, the boy who skipped so much class he has to repeat junior English this summer is taking you to a four hour lecture for fun.”

Leslie’s cheeks burn. “He is!”

Marlene arches an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you Leslie?”

Leslie winces, but manages to answer _no, of course not._ Marlene finally releases her.

“Call please, after the lecture. Let me know when you’re coming home.”

“Yes.”

Leslie tears out the front door and down the driveway to Ben’s waiting car before her mother can ask anything else.

*****

It’s amazing.

The room is filled, mostly with men but with some women too. And okay, fine, Ben teasing her about being a tiny bit overdressed might be justified, but Leslie’s honestly never felt more at home. Students raise their hands and ask intelligent questions and the professor acknowledges them with the utmost respect. Leslie wants to ask a question but she can’t think of a good one that hasn’t already been answered so instead she just sits there, entranced.

There’s a break around 10AM and Ben buys her a coffee. She’s shed her blazer and undone the top button of her blouse. While she sips her coffee Ben asks her opinion on a number of things.

She’s never been happier than she is in this moment. She’s not sure if it feels like an actual date, but maybe this is how dates are in college. A purely intellectual meeting of the minds that ends in frenching.

Oh god, was Ben going to try and kiss her? Did she want him to kiss her?

Yes.

They get called back into the room and Ben follows her up the stairs back to their seats. She settles in, taking out her notepad and waiting for the rest of the room to do the same.

“Did you watch that documentary last night? Part three?”

“Yes!” she spins towards him. “I loved it. I have soooo many thoughts on it!”

“Well” he licks his lips. “After I can buy you lunch and you can tell me all of them.”

Ben wants to hear all hear all her thoughts.

“I’d like that!”

The professor starts up again and Leslie turns her eyes back to the front of the room. That’s where they are when Ben’s fingers curl around hers. They stay that way for the rest of the session.

Holy crap.

******

She holds his hand for the rest of the afternoon, even when their palms get sweaty. At one point Leslie thinks Ben might freak out and take her home (the point where he realizes she’s seventeen) but he doesn’t. Instead he just asks when he can see her again.

They’re both free Tuesday night and he wants to take her to the movies.

Ingrid peppers her with questions about Mark when she gets home. Ingrid wants to know if they fooled around in his car and did they really even go to a history lecture. Leslie keeps it as vague as possible, but Ingrid is persistent. Their father just pats her knee and says he wants to meet this boy - sooner than later.

Leslie’s so happy. She didn’t get a kiss, but there was handholding and Ben wants to see her again.

On Tuesday Leslie meets Ben outside the theater. It’s not far from the house so she walks and tells her family she’s just meeting Ann. At the last minute her father suggests she invite Ingrid along but Ingrid scoffs and says she has important college things that need doing.

Leslie’s very grateful her sister has no interest in being social with them.

Ben’s standing outside the theater entrance when she strolls up, in jeans and a t-shirt again. He grins and waves at her as she closes the distance between them. He scoops her up like she’s nothing and hugs her tightly without any warning. Leslie melts into his arms and imagines his lips on hers tonight. He obviously likes her and he’s definitely going to want to make out in the movies. _Everyone_ wants to make out in the movies.

Ben takes her by the hand and guides her through the entrance. He’s already bought their tickets and smells amazing. His cologne is light and she imagines it seeping into her bed sheets and resists the urge to press her face into his neck.

“How was your day?” he asks casually as they walk. Leslie tells him briefly about her final history paper and her plans for her course load next year. He asks about her meeting with her guidance counsellor and how many drafts of her college essays she has finished.

Answer: Six

Leslie’s still grinning when the lights dim and Ben draws her closer.

They don’t make out in the movie, as it turns out.

Leslie does put her head on his shoulder though and they hold hands the whole time. Ben smiles against her temple and says something about dinner afterwards. He drives them to a restaurant a few blocks away and they sit in the back and talk for two hours.

He tells her a bit about his family. His older brother lives in Chicago and has bailed him out a couple of times when Ben couldn’t make rent. He tells her about that time he ran for mayor of his hometown, won and ruined everything. That’s when his parents cut him off (or when he cut himself off, Leslie’s a little iffy on the details). He’s been working thirty hours a week and going to college at the same time. It’s taking longer than it should but it’s worth it, he says.

“Where are you going to go after graduation?” she’s already sad at the thought of him having to leave.

“Wherever the jobs are, I guess.”

He says all of this with his thumb rubbing hers and Leslie’s skin feels like it’s on fire.

He does not kiss her goodnight, but his lips do brush her cheekbone before she slides out of his car. When Leslie pushes through the front door of her house she feels she might float away with happiness.

“How was the movie?” Ingrid comes out of the living room holding a masterfully hand-stitched pillow that looks professionally done but Ingrid definitely did herself.

“Great” Leslie exhales breathily and Ingrid studies her intently.

“Maybe you’re in love with Ann.”

Leslie can’t hide her grin at that, her mind replacing _Ann_ with _Ben_. Ingrid’s nose crinkles and Leslie glides into the kitchen

*****

Leslie thinks about Ben all week. He calls her on Wednesday night and asks for a third date on Friday. She can suggest the activity.

She opts for mini golf, promises to destroy him and he says “it’s a date”. Leslie falls asleep thinking about him, dreams about him and wakes up all hot and bothered. Her fingers twitch to push his hair out of his eyes and every time she imagines his smile her insides turn to lava.

“Ben” Leslie reaches for his arm as he grabs a putter and holds it up against her to test the size. It’s Friday night and they’re at the putting course and she’s sort of leaning into him. He greeted her with a hug but not a kiss. She wants a kiss.

“Ben” she repeats.

“Hmm?”

“Are you ever going to kiss me?”

The guy behind the counter, who can’t be more than eighteen, blushes red on Ben’s behalf. Ben turns and stares her down but he does not look embarrassed at all.

“Am I what?”

“You said these were dates. You called them dates and you keep holding my hand so if it’s actually a date then at some point I want you to kiss me.”

He smirks and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. Ugh, she hates when he does that.

“I’ll make you a deal, babydoll” he tosses his putter into the air and catches it. “If you win, I kiss you and if _I_ win” his eyes sparkle. “You kiss me.”

Her chest tightens. She’s getting a kiss. Win or lose, she’s getting a kiss.

“What if it’s a tie?” she asks quickly. Ben dips and rubs his nose against hers. She almost falls down.

“It won’t be.”

Her legs are still shaking as he leads her to the first hole.

*****

By some miracle she wins. Ben fans on p, angles the wrong way and smacks his ball too hard. By the end of the game Leslie’s up three strokes. She taunts him, of course. Her ball is teetering on the edge of the cup and as soon as she taps it in she’ll be the champion of mini golf.

She forgets about their bet until the ball hits the bottom of the cup. Leslie turns to gloat and Ben’s putter is on the floor. He his hands move like lightning and he kisses her hard, one arm in the small of her back and the other on her cheek. Leslie whimpers and parts her lips, tasting his tongue and kissing back with the same fervor.

He threw it. He threw it because he wanted to kiss her. He admits it when she pulls him down for another one. Her stomach is a mess of butterflies, her head is spinning and no one else in the world exists.

“Whoa” she breathes when he finally tears his lips away. That’s what it feels like, like they’re being ripped apart. Her heart is racing, her breathing is uneven and she’s grateful Ben’s there to hold her up.

She’s also really glad he never kissed Ingrid.

“Do you want to play another round?” he whispers.

“No. I want to go somewhere we can do that again.”

And again. And again. And again.

“Me too” Ben pulls back and draws her palm to his lips. His hair is wild from her hands and his lips are swollen. He looks as wrecked as she feels.

Where they go is his car. He parks a few blocks away from her house and they get into the backseat. Leslie climbs into his lap, his hands on her neck. They slide up and down her back until she’s dizzy.

“I like you.”

“I like you too.”

Ben peppers kisses against her lips. Leslie wants more, so much more but she doesn’t get it. Unlike the golf course it’s soft and sweet and maybe her panties don’t flood, but she could do it all day.

The next kiss lands on her neck and she shuts her eyes as his breath heats her skin.

“What, um” he leans back. “I know this is kind of a mood kill, but what do you think Ingrid will say when you tell her.”

“You’re right, it is a mood kill” she finds his lips and flicks her tongue. Ben groans and draws her closer.

“Les - ”

This time she goes for his neck, nuzzling until he growls.

“I don’t like lying. We shouldn’t have to lie. I went out once with Ingrid and we did not like each other.”

Leslie sits back on her heels.

“Just a couple of more dates.”

He tucks a curl behind her ear.

“Two dates” he holds up that many long fingers. “Because your dad’s going to want to have a stern talk with me all over again and I’m not going to come off great here.”

Leslie smiles and hugs Ben tightly. She likes so much that he cares about that.

She maybe more than likes that he cares about that.

She maybe more than likes Ben too.

*****

After kissing in his car, Leslie doesn’t see Ben for an entire week. Summer has officially arrived by the time she does and her sundress sticks to her skin as beads of sweat trickle down the back of her neck. She meets him at work. He’s been picking up extra shifts any chance he gets and he’s just finishing one when she appears on the curb. Ben smiles brightly when she walks into the tiny bookstore. There are plush chairs for reading by the windows and little metal tables on the sidewalk directly outside.

The owner, Mr. Geraldine, sticks out his hand. He's a middle aged man with a pot belly and greying temples. His ruddy red cheeks make him seem friendly.

“I’ve heard only great things about you, Leslie.”

She shakes back firmly as Ben slips an arm around her waist and pecks her cheek.

“I’ll close up shop” Ben tells Mr. Geraldine. “You should head out.”

Mr. Geraldine starts to protest, but it really doesn’t take much convincing. He thanks Ben graciously , gathers his things and bids them a nice evening.

Ben locks the door behind him. Leslie’s taking in the weathered old paperbacks and the smell of parchment when his lips find her neck. She giggles and leans back

“Hi.”

“Hi” he nuzzles her. “I missed you.”

“I missed you” she turns around to kiss him. “You’ve been working so much.”

He works at the accounting firm, the youngest most brilliant entry-level accountant in the history of the world who still has a semester left of college. Then after that he’ll show up at the bookstore and work until close.

She’s about to ask Ben if he’s sleeping enough when he lifts her up and sets her on the counter, kissing her slowly. Leslie sighs and winds her legs around him.

“I just need ten minutes.”

“Okay” she sighs contently as he pulls away.

He ends up taking twelve minutes as there are occasional breaks for mini makeouts. By the time Ben locks up the store Leslie’s stomach is rumbling and Ben’s got her by the hand. They go to his car and he drives towards the outskirts of the city before pulling into a secluded parking lot with a few other cars. Leslie knows it well.

The lake. They’re at the banks of the lake. Ben pulls out a basket from his trunk and sets up a blanket for Leslie to sit on. She waits while he removes various items in tupperware containers and places them beside her. The last thing he grabs is a bottle of sparkling juice and two plastic flutes.

He planned a romantic, late night picnic for them. Ann’s going to die when Leslie tells her.

*****

It’s almost 1AM by the time Ben brings her back. After the leftover food was packed away again they’d kissed until their lips were sore and chapped and Leslie’s panties were soaked. The evening breeze cools her damp skin and her hair is a frizzy mess but it’s worth it. The air is buzzing with electricity and it had been the first clap of thunder far in the distance that startled them back to reality.

Ben refuses to drop her off at the end of the road like he always does. Instead he parks right at the driveway and leads her up the walkway by the hand. She opens the door carefully and presses their mouths together quickly.

“I’ll call you” he whispers as there’s a flash of lightning across the sky. Leslie grins and drags his face to hers one final time.

She’s still smiling when she slips through the front door and locks it behind her. It’s when she turns around that her grin fades.

Son of a -

“Good evening, Leslie” her father folds his arms. “You’re late.”

“I’m sorry. I lost track of time - ”

“With Mark” her mother looks at her pointedly. Leslie’s cheeks grow hot.

“Yes! With - ”

“You’re _lying_ ” Ingrid snaps. “How dare you steal my boyfriend!”

“I’m not sure Leslie was stealing your boyfriend, dear” Marlene continues.

“That doesn’t mean I want Leslie to just... _swoop_ in!”

“I didn’t swoop!” Leslie snaps. “You took eighty million hours to get ready for your date and we hung out and he likes me! Plus, I saw him first and you got dibs and how is that fair!”

“Well you should’ve said something then! You can’t date someone I dated!”

“You went on one date!”

Robert holds up his hands to silence both of them.

“Nothing changes the fact that you lied, Leslie.”

“I’m sorry” she is. She never lies to her parents about major stuff like this.

“And he’s much too old for you.”

Leslie’s eyes widen and she glances frantically at her mother. Too old? What does that mean?

“He’s done college and you’re not even eighteen. He’s too old for you.”

“Ingrid’s - ”

“In college.”

“But I am almost eighteen! I can date whoever I want! You can’t stop me!”

“Leslie - ”

“I care about him very much and I want to keep dating him, you can’t stop me just because I’m six months too young. That’s not fair! I’m...I’m co-vice president of student council, I’m on the yearbook committee, I’m going to college next year, that’s not - ”

“Honey - ”

“No! No sir, I’m...Ben is who I want to date.”

“We’ll talk about this later” her mother steps up beside Leslie. “It’s late.”

“I guess this explains why he never called me back” Ingrid snaps. “How could you do this?”

Leslie’s eyes well with tears. She tries to protest but there’s a lump in the back of her throat. The sensations of Ben’s hands and kisses are long gone and her relationship’s under an interrogation lamp. She wants to shield her face from Ingrid’s accusatory stare.

“He’s too old for you, Leslie” Robert goes on. “Trust me, I know guys that age and guys that age are creeps only after one thing - ”

“Ben’s not - ”

“They all are, honey” he sounds apologetic but the tears are already falling down her cheeks. She turns away, averting her mother’s sympathetic gaze.

“Leslie” Robert reaches out a hand but she yanks away and takes off towards the stairs. She can’t be around them right now. Any of them.

*****

It’s 3AM and she can’t sleep a wink. After Leslie went upstairs the rest of the family kept snapping at each other, Ingrid insisting she isn’t jealous and just trying to look out for her baby sister. Robert called Ben a hooligan for wanting to take advantage of a girl in high school and her mother tried to remind everyone to keep their voices down.

Leslie’s mind is reeling and sleep refuses to come, no matter how much she exhausts herself crying. What if they’re right? What if Ben is just taking advantage of her? Why would someone almost out of college have feelings for for her?

Leslie’s very alone. She misses Ben and she wants him to reassure her that Ingrid knows nothing and he cares about her too...that he’s not taking advantage of her at all. She needs him to tell her why anyone would choose Leslie over Ingrid because at the moment Leslie can’t think of a single reason.

Which is why she appears on his doorstep soaked to the bone. He’d been right about his street being creepy. More than one person had shouted lewd things at her across the way. She’d buzzed his apartment but there was no answer and his car was definitely in the parking lot. That worried Leslie slightly, but a young woman with headphones smacking her gum was coming out the door and let Leslie inside. She took the stairs as quickly as possible, ignoring the cobwebs and grimy walls until she was banging on Ben’s door.

It only occurs to her then he could have another woman in there. He’s in college and probably popular and they’d never talked about being exclusive…

The door swings open and there’s Ben in a t-shirt and sweatpants. He’s appears, half asleep and rubbing his scruffy jaw. He looks good enough to eat.

“Leslie - what are you doing here?”

Everything comes out in a rush of tears and shaky breaths and then Ben draws her inside and into his warm embrace. He says something about it not being safe and her being soaked. He pushes her coat off her shoulders and hugs her more tightly.

“You’re shaking.”

“I’m just cold.”

“What - ”

“They know. They found out. Ingrid’s upset. My dad’s mad at me for lying. My mom’s mad at me for lying. Everything’s a mess. They all hate me.”

She knows she’s being dramatic but it feels like they hate her right now. He kisses her cheek and her neck and tightens his hold.

“Can I stay with you?”

“Good lord, Leslie. I can’t believe you walked here in the middle of the night. You should’ve called someone, me or a taxi or something. Are you alright?”

“Yes” she pulls back to wipe her eyes but Ben’s fingers get there first.

“I’ll make you some tea.”

He drops his lips to her forehead and sets her on the bed before padding off into a tiny kitchenette. Leslie sees what he means about his apartment now. It’s decrepit, the best he can afford right now but it’s his. His smell permeates the blankets and his coat’s hanging on the door .

She reaches for his hand when he comes back while the kettle’s boiling.

“I should get you some clothes” he pushes her hair out of her eyes. The tenderness is overwhelming and Leslie leans into his hand. He’s not using her. He’s Ben, he would never do that.

“Leslie - ”

“I don’t need clothes” she squares her shoulders bravely. “Unless you think I need clothes.”

He gulps and she sticks her hands out.

“I don’t think you need clothes either, Benjamin.”

“I definitely need...” he trails off when she lifts her nightgown overhead and tosses it to the floor. She’s standing there in just a pair of panties. Ben jolts, heading for his dresser. He ruffles through his drawers and wraps her in a soft flannel shirt. Leslie pouts.

“Why?”

“It’s cold” he kisses her forehead and does up two buttons. “And very late. Come lie down. Your parents are absolutely going to murder me.”

“She’s so upset, Ben! Ingrid said she did want you and I’m the worst sister in the world because I just... _swooped in_.”

Ben slumps to the mattress. Leslie goes to his lap and winds her arms around his neck.

“You should tell me everything” he whispers. “Start at the beginning.”

*****

“Leslie” he breathes against her lips as her hands tug at his t-shirt and her feet rub his. They were talking and she was telling him everything and then she was not. Then they couldn’t stop kissing and touching and she wanted to sink under his skin and stay there.

And now his hands are creeping under the flannel shirt and brushing against the skin of her belly. He’s hot everywhere she’s chilled and she aches for more of him.

Leslie rolls on top of Ben and groans at the feeling of his length. She spreads her knees and rocks as his hand moves to her back and his fingertips dip underneath the waistband of her panties. Ben growls and she rocks harder.

“We should slow down” he murmurs as her lips find his neck. She teases his ear with her tongue and he bucks up into her. Leslie moans.

“We should definitely not. We should speed up.”

“Les” he protests meekly as his hand snakes up to cup her breast. His thumb rubs her nipple and she grinds down harder. She needs him, more of him, all of him. Everything feels so good and she wants him to keep building her up, to keep touching her breasts and licking down her throat until he fills her up.

She says something to that effect and he flips her. Leslie shrieks but Ben stills and stares at the unbuttoned shirt and the pale skin of her breasts. His jaw is slack and his gaze is soft.

“Les - ”

“I don’t want to go slow, Benjamin. The cat’s out of the bag. Let’s do this.”

“Have you...done this before?”

Her cheeks warm. “Not exactly.”

“Uh, and what does that mean?”

“It means I haven’t but I want to.”

“Leslie, we should get some sleep. You’re upset -”

“Get a condom.”

“Babe - ”

“Ben” she cups his cheeks. “We are doing this. Get. A. Condom.”

He growls, pushing his face against her chest, his scruff scratching her skin. She starts to babble for a condom again but then her panties are gone and he’s kissing down her belly.

“Not yet.”  

He bites at her thighs and Leslie whimpers as his tongue goes to work.

*****

For two days they do this. Leslie lazes around his clothes and washes her panties in his bathroom sink. They eat toast and eggs. He naps, she wakes him up with kisses and they spend a lot of time in bed.

Having sex. So. Much. Sex.

She can’t wait to tell Ann about it, but she’s not ready to make contact with home yet. On her first day at Ben’s place, around 10PM, she hears the sounds of a domestic dispute through the thin walls. Ben’s door rattles in its hinges and Leslie pulls her knees up to his chest as he gets up to put the chain on. When he returns, he kisses her forehead and winds around her. Ben’s warmth is better than any flimsy blanket.

“It’s a shitty apartment” he admits the fourth time someone walks passed the door and jolts Leslie awake. Through the open window she can hear raccoons fighting over garbage and metal cans crashing into each other. “You get used to it.”

Leslie rolls over and palms his cheek.

“I don’t like you living here.”

“I’m saving a lot and then I’ll get something better when I’m working full time at the accounting firm” he pushes her hair back. “I don’t like you being here.”

She takes his hand. “But I like being with you.”

“Me too” he smiles. “Your parents are definitely going to murder me though.”

She giggles, even as guilt causes her insides to churn. They’ll definitely be worried.

“My dad said all guys your age are jerks and you’re probably only after one thing and now you have it.”

Ben snorts and pulls her onto his chest. “I want you, Leslie Knope. Deal with it.”

Tears prickle the corners of her eyes and she burrows into his neck. Ben’s mouth lands in her hair. That was all she needed to hear.

*****

Their second night at Ben’s some dumb neighbor tacks a note to their door asking them to stop having such great, awesome sex at such volumes. Leslie’s cheeks flame but Ben just nuzzles her shoulder and promises their next place will have thicker walls.

Their next place. The very notion of that makes her heart flutter.

Ben’s scrambling some eggs and Leslie’s tugging on the front of his shirt for more kisses when there’s another knock at the door. Leslie whines and shouts something about how they’re not even having sex right now while Ben goes to answer.

It’s not an annoying neighbor.

It is definitely her father.

He hasn’t shaved in days, his blue eyes are narrowed and his jaw drops when he takes in Leslie’s appearance. She’s wearing Ben’s clothes and that same flannel shirt is barely buttoned at all. She covers her face and Ben winces.

“Mr. Knope - ”

“Get your coat, Leslie. We’re leaving - ”

“How did you even find me?” she blasts. Robert ignores her.

“You have three minutes. Get your things. Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been?”

“Sir - ”

“And _you_ ” Robert snarls. “If you cared about her at all you would’ve brought her straight home. You wouldn’t have let her spend one minute here.”

“I asked him not to - ”

“You’re right” Ben drops his hand. “We should’ve called.”

Robert deflates and reaches out a hand. “Let’s go, Leslie.”

“No! Ingrid hates me and - ”

“And you’re seventeen years old, you don’t get to live with some random guy you met last month. Let’s _go_ \- ”

“He’s not _random_! He’s Ben and I - ”

Robert growls, wrapping her in his jacket and yanking her out the door before either of them can say another word.

She tells him she hates him on the way home.

She’s never said anything like that to her father, but it’s the most angry she’s ever felt. He had no right to do that.  Robert reiterates how worried they were about her and how one of the guys at the accounting firm finally told him where Ben lives.

“God, Leslie what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking you were all so mad at me and I needed to talk to Ben after what you said. Because he’s not like that and he does care about me, he would never…” she trails off as a fresh wave of tears builds behind her eyes.

Robert kisses her forehead when they stop at a red light and says nothing else for the rest of the drive.

*****

She’s not allowed to see Ben again.

Leslie wanting to lie about seeing him is apparently Ben’s fault and she’s not allowed to date him anymore. Her father says he’s too old for her. She shoots back that they don’t understand, but no one believes that. Ingrid calls it puppy love.

“She’ll get over it” Ingrid explains to Marlene over dinner a few evenings later. “It’s just teenager stuff.”

Leslie wants to smack her patronizing big sister up the head and tell her she was a teenager too, up until six months ago. She’s saved from having to do so when Marlene declares there’s no such thing as puppy love.

“Don’t tell Leslie how to feel” Marlene says. Leslie simply pushes potatoes around on her plate and asks to be excused.

Ben calls five times in the first two days and practically begs to speak to her. Her dad just says she’s not available and hangs up, her mom has a few choice words for him about not having enough common sense to call and let them know Leslie was alright. Ingrid says Leslie’s busy moving on her with her life and he should do the same.

If that’s Ingrid’s way of flirting with Leslie’s boyfriend Leslie will punch her in the throat.

For two weeks this goes on. She’s forbidden from talking to Ben, she cries into her pillow nightly and contemplates tearing across town to visit him. Her car privileges are taken away.

Ben keeps calling, but with less urgency and before Leslie knows it three weeks have gone by and she hasn’t seen him since. He’s probably moved on already, he’s probably dating a tall twenty-something whose parents don’t cart them away and scold them for leaving in the first place.

That’s around the time she starts to feel a bit sick.

It’s allergies - she gets them every year - but medication isn’t working and her mother keeps studying her closely like she’s expecting Leslie to vaporize any moment. She palms her forehead and makes her soup but everything either tastes too bland or too heavily seasoned. She throws up three times in one day and her mother makes her stay home from her job at the day camp. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Leslie leaves arts and crafts early because she keeps tossing her cookies. Leslie’s on the couch with saltines and ginger ale when Marlene enters the house. She’s holding a paper bag and her eyes find Leslie instantly.

“Sweetheart” Marlene perches on the coffee table and hands Leslie the bag. Leslie wonders if it’s candy, but her stomach hits the floor when she peers inside.

No. No no no no no. She can’t be. She can’t…

Crap on a crayfish.

“But we used protection!” she blurts out. Marlene takes her by the hand.

“The sooner you do it the sooner we know what we’re dealing with.”

They go to the bathroom together, Leslie trying not to trip over her own two feet.


	2. Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 is up! 
> 
> Thank you so much for all your comments and kudos. You guys are the best. 
> 
> Also, thank you to c00kie who helped me work through this and kept me writing it when I was doubting everything. <3 <3

It’s two weeks after the pregnancy test when he shows up. Two weeks after her pregnancy test and two days after she’d called him on the phone when she beat everyone else home for the evening.

Leslie’s curling onto her bed with a scrapbook of baby pictures when the doorbell rings. She’s trying to picture her child. Boy or girl, she imagines them with Ben’s dark hair and dark eyes and her loudness. The doorbell rings again, three times in quick succession before there are footsteps. Leslie gets up slowly, careful not to disturb the floorboards as she pads to her partially open door and listens.

“Mr. Knope - ”

“What do you want, Ben?”

Leslie squeezes her eyes shut and pictures his face. He stayed away for so long - not that it was really his fault - but now that he’s here and needing to see her no matter what Leslie thinks it might be the most romantic thing in the entire world.

“I came to see Leslie.” No hesitation, no quiver in his voice. He came to see Leslie. She imagines him standing there in jeans and a t-shirt, his sunglasses on and his leather jacket with the collar popped.

Okay no, he’s not James Dean.

“Sir-” Ben continues. “I understand how upset you are - ”

“Unless some idiot got your youngest daughter pregnant there’s no way you could understand how upset I am.”

There’s mumbling that Leslie can’t hear, so she leaves her room and pushes towards the top of the stairs. Her mother’s already there, eyes trained on the hallway and wearing a look Leslie can’t quite decipher.

And then she sees him, all spiky hair and big hands. He’s not in jeans, but a sport coat and slacks with a collared shirt and tie. His arms are full of stuffed animals, chocolates and flowers. Leslie fights the urge to run to him and thank him for being so sweet. He’s all dressed up to impress her father and he’s there. 

“Mr. Knope.” Ben’s voice is clear and sharp. “We should not have lied to you and I definitely did not plan for this to happen, but it did and I want to make it right.”

“Well you can’t go back in time and not get her pregnant, can you?”

Ben winces. Leslie can see his shoulders hunch. Marlene goes down a few steps.

“Robert, bring the boy into the living room. He wants to give her flowers.”

“He doesn’t…” Robert trails off when his wife’s hand lands on his elbow. She says something low in his ear and he shrugs.

“Fine, this way Ben.”

As soon as they’re in the living room Leslie tears down the stairs and presses her back against the wall.

“I…” Ben swallows audibly. “I love Leslie and want to be with her. And my job is just part time now but once I’m done college I’ll find something permanent and I have good savings. We can get married if...only if she wants to - ”

Leslie squeaks and Ben stops talking. She can see her mother rolling her eyes.

“Leslie.”

Leslie steps into the doorway, red faced. Ben stands abruptly and she tries to smile.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

“She’s been quite sick” Marlene explains. Ben steps forward and her father makes a noise of disapproval. Ben’s arms are around Leslie before anything else can be said. He hugs her tightly and presses his face to her neck. It feels so nice to hug him again. They’re a team now, after all. Forever, they will be a team.

Robert clears his throat and Ben releases her gently. Leslie realizes then she has tears on her face. Ben wipes them off.

“Perhaps we should give them a few minutes - ”

“That’s how she got pregnant.”

“Robert.”

“You’re not to be alone again. Ever.”

Marlene snorts. “She’s already pregnant, dear. How much worse can it get?”

He ignores his wife as Ben guides Leslie to sit. She leans into the cushions and sighs. Her stomach is doing flip flops and his presence is soothing.

“Did you go to the doctor?”

“Last week.”

“Last week” Ben gulps. “And everything’s...okay?”

“Uh huh. I heard the heartbeat.”

He tries to smile and Leslie’s fingers creep forward for his. She squeezes when they make contact. He wishes he could’ve been there, she knows that without him saying it.

“Robert.” She hears Marlene whisper. He grunts, but the sound of footfalls tell Leslie they’re gone. She loves her father more than anything but he’s sort of being a jerk. Ben kisses the back of her hand and turns.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Their foreheads move together and noses rub. Leslie sighs as Ben’s hand goes to her belly.

“Hi.”She sniffles and swipes at her cheeks. “I missed you a lot.”

“I am so sorry. I wish I could’ve been there.”

“Me too.” She smiles now. “You love me?”

“Yes.” He cups her face in his big hands and kisses her warmly, until she’s tingling all over. “Sorry, is that weird or way too soon - ”

“No. I love you too.”

She hadn’t realized until this moment, but she does. He peppers kisses all over her face and she giggles.

“We’ll get a better apartment - somewhere safe with two bedrooms and close to campus. We don’t even have to stay in Indiana, but obviously we will until you decide on where you’re going for college and -

His words dissolve against her lips.

“What else?”

He chuckles. “Whatever you want, babydoll.”

He wipes her face again and they both sigh. She can’t stop crying.

“Ingrid hates me. You were supposed to be hers.”

“She’ll get over it.”

“And my dad - ”

“Loves you and wants you to be okay.”

Ugh, she supposes that’s true. Leslie snuggles into Ben’s side, eyeing all the items he’d been holding a few minutes earlier.

“Are those for me?”

Two teddy bears, zebras, a pink bunny and a plush lion are all deposited into Leslie’s lap. She orders Ben to put the flowers in water and feed her chocolates, which he does immediately. She’s nibbling on an orange cream when her parents return. Leslie stays in the crook of Ben’s arm but they sit up a little.

“We’re going out for dinner” Robert declares, eyeing them. “Ben can join us if he wants.”

“Oh, I’d...like to, yes.”

“We have some things to figure out.”

Oh boy, did they.

*****

Ingrid’s there. She talks about going to France for her PhD. Ben’s rubbing Leslie’s knee and asking if she needs more of anything. Marlene and Robert are occasionally putting their heads together but not really speaking, as if they can wordlessly share thoughts.

“Ben.” Robert begins sharply. Ben jolts, but straightens.

“We’ve been talking.”

Leslie inhales. Lately, her parents talking has not been a good thing.

“My grandchild is not going anywhere near that apartment of yours. It’s in a bad neighborhood, the heat doesn’t work, and frankly you shouldn’t even be living there.”

Ben winces. “It’s...the best I could afford at the - ”

“You will stay with us until you find something else. On the couch.”

Leslie gawks, but Ben just says, “Yes sir.”

“And Leslie, you’re living with us until you finish school.”

“I am almost eighteen and you can’t tell me what to do - ”

“Until you finish high school. I don’t think that’s unreasonable. Besides you’ll want the help for the first few months when the baby arrives.”

She grumbles _fine_ even though she knows it’s really a victory. Living at home until she graduates is not the end of the world and Ben will be there. Ben will be involved. Her parents (father) is accepting that Ben will be involved and that’s all she really wants right now.

“Thank you.” Ben says across the table to Robert. Robert gives a curt nod.

“We’ll see how it goes.”

*****

They settle into a routine. Every morning she finds Ben in the kitchen getting ready to go to the accounting firm and sipping coffee. He always makes enough for the whole house and kisses her forehead as he munches a piece of toast. It’s Leslie’s favorite part of the day. Her father’s upstairs in the shower, her mother’s still sleeping for twenty more minutes and Ben’s arms are around her.

Robert descends shortly after Ben, smelling like his favorite aftershave with his hair still a little damp and the top button of his shirt undone. He kisses Leslie’s cheek and checks her color.

“Waffles?” he’d make her waffles for every meal if it meant she could keep some food down.

And everyone knows waffles are the magic cure to morning sickness.

“Honey, I gotta go” Ben drains his coffee mug and shoots her a regretful look. Every morning, it’s the same thing. He never likes leaving her. She smiles and waves him off as she swallows her latest mouthful.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

He pecks her nose and exits the kitchen. The same thing every morning.

Her parents go to work, Leslie heads to her summer job at a daycamp and usually catches Ingrid spending forever on makeup on the way out the door. Leslie plays with little girls and boys and returns home just after 5pm in need of a nap. She takes one sometimes, usually on the couch where the pillow smells like Ben and she can imagine he’s cuddled up beside her.

Ben calls when he’s done job one for the day. The rest of the family returns home, they eat dinner around the table and set aside a plate for him. Ben usually stumbles in the door at 9pm, bone weary. He slinks into the kitchen, wolfs down every morsel of food and tries not to yawn as they settle on the couch to watch TV as a group.

Sometimes Ingrid goes out and Ann usually calls Leslie to invite her to movies and parties or just to hang out. Ann knows it’s different but she misses her best friend.

Ben will usually tell her to go, he’s just going to sleep, but Leslie misses him. She misses the Ben she was dating before all of this happened. She wants more than a kiss good morning and a kiss goodnight.

After two weeks of everything, Marlene buys a futon and moves Ben into the basement. It’s a little chilly, which is nice in the summer. It’s also quiet and private. Ingrid’s glad they have the TV back.

“That boy’s going to work himself into an early grave.” Marlene says with a crinkled nose as she stirs some hot chocolate.

“Well, he should. My niece or nephew isn’t living in a dump.”

Leslie bites Ingrid’s head off for that.

Of their friends, only Ann knows Leslie is pregnant. Lindsay says something about Leslie’s face looking a bit _chubby_ but that’s probably just Lindsay being a jerk.

“Who’s this secret boyfriend of yours, Leslie?” Tom asks one night in July. Her mind floats back to Ben, who’s probably snoring softly already. He’d been gone before she’d even come downstairs that morning and she’d left for Howard’s birthday before he’d gotten back from work.

“He’s in college.”

Mark, who Leslie hasn’t noticed in months, raises an eyebrow.  

“And he’s in college all day and all night during the summer?” 

“He’s working!” she snaps. “He’s working hard to make money for us.”

“Didn’t you say you’ve only been dating six weeks?”

Leslie scowls and walks away. As if they could possibly have any idea.

Twenty minutes later she’s in the kitchen getting water when Mark presses up behind her. Leslie jumps and spins around.

“Oh, hi!”

“Hi.” He dips forward and brushes his lips against her neck. Leslie pushes him away but he’s drunk and much bigger than she is. She tries to squirm along the counter and Mark’s brow furrows.

“There’s an empty bedroom upstairs. I was going to see if you wanted to...y’know.”

Leslie swats at his hand when he reaches for her waist. “I’ve got a boyfriend!”

“Leslie, you don’t have to lie about it - ”

“I”m not lying, I have a boyfriend!”

“A boyfriend in college who you met through your sister and no one has ever seen.” Mark lifts an eyebrow. “Not even Ann.”

“He’s busy! He’s working a lot!”

“Les” Mark steps into her space again. Leslie tries to back up but the counter stops her. He thumbs her jaw, his sloppy touch firm enough to leave a bruise on her pale skin. “Let’s go upstairs.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Are you really sure about that?” He cups her ass and she yelps and smacks him away.

“ _Yes._ ” She snaps and rushes out of the kitchen, straight for Ann. Ann soothes her, but also gently mentions she’d like to meet Ben sooner or later too. Leslie understands, she wants Ann and Ben to be best friends of course. Ben’s just too busy to actually spend time with anyone.

Including her.

She comes through the front door of the house at 12:30 and her mother’s at the top of the basement stairs.

“Just tell me you aren’t going to have sex so I can tell your father when he asks me what I was thinking.”

Leslie stares at her, trying to understand but coming up empty. Marlene opens the door to the basement and gestures. At first, Leslie stays rooted in place as if it’s some kind of trick.

But then she decides she doesn’t care. She takes off downstairs without another word. Ben’s there on the mattress, hair sprouting out from under the covers and breathing deeply. Leslie wastes no time taking off her clothes and slipping one of his t-shirts on before crawling into bed beside him.

“Ben.” She presses kisses along his jaw. She knows he’s tired but she can’t help herself. His arms tighten and he burrows into her neck.

“Hi babydoll” he murmurs. “How was the party?”

“No one believes you exist and Mark tried to get me to fool around with him.”

“Tell Mark I’ll kill him,” Ben says conversationally. Leslie giggles, running her hands down the front of his pants. He sighs.

“M’sotired,baby.”

“That’s okay, I’ll do all the work.”

He’s quiet when he comes in her mouth a few minutes later, and Leslie crawls back on top of him for a kiss. Ben curls around her and nips at her neck before falling back asleep.

*****

The summer passes without much event. Ben continues to work himself to the bone and Leslie steals every chance she can to be alone with him. When the fall semester starts up Ben keeps his jobs and Leslie sees even less of him.

Leslie’s senior class schedule starts, she works diligently in all of her after school activities and Ingrid floats between living at home and staying at college with friends. Leslie writes her college essays and has her parents read them over at least forty times before she finally settles on a finished copy. She attends information sessions on applying to schools and decides Indiana is the place to be. The baby will be near her parents and Ben already has a job waiting for him at the accounting firm.

Also, they already live in the greatest town in America. Why would she leave?

She pops in October. She dresses in baggy tops and oversized sweatshirts, but people definitely notice something’s up. Lindsay says they all knew she was putting on “winter weight”.

It’s at Dr. Saperstein’s office the cat is let out of the bag.

Leslie’s in the waiting room, her mother on one side of her and Ben on the other, when Jean Ralphio breezes in wearing an elaborate scarf and sport coat ensemble. He winks at the waiting women and offers to write songs about their names. And then his eyes land on Lesile.

“Heeeey, K to the N to the O-P-E - ”

“Hi!” Leslie’s whole face turns the color of beets. “How...hi!”

“Hey Mrs. Knope!” He flashes a smile at Marlene. “Whoa, nice, are you and Mr. Knope still doing the nasty - ”

Marlene throws a magazine at him and Ben snorts. Unfortunately, that’s the moment Jean Ralphio decides to put two and two together.

“Whoooa, hold up hold up, is it...Daaaamn, Knope, I knew you weren’t just getting fat.”

“Hey,” Ben snaps. “Watch it.”

“Awww, is this your baby daddy?”

Jean Ralphio’s eyes lock on hers with surprising intensity and Leslie’s face turns impossibly redder. She’s saved from having to answer, even though the answer is obvious.

“Leslie Knope?” A nurse in bright green scrubs appears at the entranceway. Leslie stands carefully and Ben reaches for her hand.

“We would appreciate if you could remain discreet about this,” Marlene says tersely to Jean Ralphio as she follows Leslie and Ben into the ultrasound room.

By Monday, everyone knows.

And honestly, Leslie couldn’t care less at this point. She works out arrangements with her teachers, she tacks ultrasound photos into her lockers, and people hold doors for her constantly. Lindsay makes jokes about the repressed ones never being able to keep their legs closed and Ann threatens to take a baseball bat to her kneecaps.

Leslie is not ashamed of her baby. Yes, it’s not ideal circumstances but she knows they’re going to love that baby.

On Friday, Ben picks her up from school and kisses her warmly as soon as she’s in reach. A little part of Leslie hopes Lindsay is watching from the windows, but mostly she’s just happy to be in his arms.

He meets Ann.

“It’s about freaking time” Ann declares, as Leslie and Ben approach the theater. Ben’s ears turn a little pink, and Leslie giggles as they shake hands. Ann’s definitely sizing him up. She’s protective.

“Nice to meet you” Ben says politely, as Ann arches a perfect eyebrow. “I’ll buy the tickets and the popcorn.”

It’s the most Ben’s opened his wallet for anything “frivolous” in months. He knows how important it is that he gets along with Ann though.

They get their popcorn, make a last minute trip to the bathroom, and find seats the back. Leslie sits in the middle and when Ben wants a kiss she gives it to him. They don’t get that much time to just sit and kiss when they feel like it. She hopes Ann understands.

Ann pulls a little face, but says nothing.

About three-quarters of the way into the coming attractions her stomach moves and Leslie shrieks. It’s the strangest feeling, even with the flutters she’d been experiencing the last few weeks. It’s as though an alien is rolling around inside of her. Ben’s eyes widen and Ann frantically asks if she’s alright. A few people shush them and Ben shoots daggers.

“Babe - ”

“They’re kicking” she gasps. “The baby’s kicking.”

Two different hands -  one large and pale and the other small and tanned - go to her bump at the same time. At first Ann whines she can’t feel anything but Ben’s gaze widens. He feels it. Leslie moves Ann’s hand and then she does too.

“Holy crap.”

Ben’s palm stays on her belly for the rest of the movie. Rubbing a little every time their baby stirs.

Holy crap is right.

*****

“You’re absolutely sure?” Ben frowns at Chris. They’re standing around his kitchen table and he’s beaming like it’s the most sure he’s ever been about anything. 

In fact, Leslie’s fairly certain he said that when she asked him the same thing a few days earlier. They met for the first time at Ben’s company Christmas party and Chris explained he just bought a new house and was looking for a tenant to help with mortgage payments.

“Absolutely” his blue eyes dazzle in the fluorescent lighting. “There is nothing I would like more than to have the both Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt living here. It would be an honor.”

“I can’t move anywhere until after graduation” Leslie explains, throat already tight at the thought of Ben leaving without her. Chris nods understandingly.

“You’d really want us and a newborn living here?”

“Ben, I would. Nothing would make me happier.”

“And that...that’s not nearly enough money. You’d get way more from an actual renter - ”

“Ben” Chris drops his voice an octave. “Let me help.”

They all hug (well, they make Ben hug) as a group, and Leslie tries not to cry over how sweet the gesture is.

*****

Leslie meets Henry at Ben’s graduation.

He’s twenty-seven, single and living the life in the big city. He’s also a bit of a flirt which earns him a smack upside the head from Ben. He hugs Leslie and asks how much brainwashing Ben had to do to get her to date him. Ben rolls his eyes and gives Leslie a few kisses as Henry takes her by the arm to find their seats.

“I don’t know what he told you about our parents” Henry says as they settle in to wait for the _Ws_. “But, Ben likes to write his own history.”

Leslie turns and arches her eyebrows. “What does that mean?”

“They didn’t disown him or anything. They’d give him money and he’s a stubborn ass who won’t take it. He ruined the town’s economy and should suffer for it, in his mind. But I hope he changes his tune after the baby comes. You guys could use the help. ”

Leslie sighs. She suspected something of the sort. She remembers the first time they talked about Ice Town, on their fourth date between kisses. Ben deflated as soon as the words were out of his mouth. It still weighs on him.

“He hasn’t even told them you’re pregnant. Or anything about you. Which is dumb because our mom would knit you so much stuff and send care packages. And our little sister will be so pumped. I’m pumped. I’m gonna spoil the crap out of them.”

Henry pats her knee.

“He’s totally wrecked over you by the way. He was from day one. I’ve never seen him this into anyone.”

Tears fill her eyes at that. She blames the pregnancy hormones.

They go out for dinner afterwards. Chris, Barney and Colin from the accounting firm, Henry and Ann to keep Leslie company. At the last minute Ingrid decides to join them.

“Someone needs to keep an eye on you,” she tells Leslie as she zips up a dress she bought special for the occasion. Ingrid brought it home from the boutique and promised Leslie she’d be able to wear it even with her baby belly.

“You look great” Ingrid turns her around and takes her by the hand. “I’m sorry I’ve been…”

“Mean?” Leslie suggests. Ingrid frowns.

“I honestly don’t know why he liked you over me” Leslie pulls a face and Ingrid quickly adds “But he does! He obviously does. I’m sorry I acted childishly. And your baby shower is going to be perfection.”

Leslie blinks. “I get a baby shower?”

“Of course you do!” Ingrid smiles. “I’m doing mini sandwiches, only instead of bread we’re making them with tiny waffles - ” Leslie throws her arms around her big sister and wills herself not to cry again.

“People at school are being huge jerks.” She confesses as Ingrid dabs her eyes with a lace trimmed handkerchief.

“People in high school are jerks sometimes. Well, not to me, but to other people I hear” she swallows. “But that is neither here nor there. You have Ben and Ann. And Mom and Dad and me, and we all love you and will support you always.”

There’s a knock on the door and Ben asks if she’s ready to go. He frowns when she sees her face.

“Is everything - ”

“It’s great.” She grabs Ingrid by the hand. “Let’s go celebrate.”

*****

Ben moves in with Chris in the New Year. Leslie helps, though no one will let her lift anything heavy. She sorts through dishes and hangs up pictures (mostly of her) and accepts kisses whenever Ben offers them.

At one point she lies on his bed and takes a nap, waking to lips on her neck.

“I ordered a pizza.”

“Mhmmm.”

“And Chris went to pick it up.”

Leslie bolts upright. “We’re alone?”

“Uh huh.”

Leslie climbs on top of Ben and rides him until they both see stars.

*****

He nuzzles her ear as they leave the restaurant, Ann walking a few feet ahead with Ingrid. Tom and Andy were there too. Mark was not invited to her birthday party, Ingrid had made sure of that.

Actually, Ingrid had planned everything. The birthday, the baby shower; there were stacks of unisex baby clothes in a chest at the house, in addition to pacifiers and receiving blankets. There was even a onesie with _World’s Littlest History Buff_ printed on it. Some of it was from the baby shower but mostly it was her big sister and their mom pulling things together they knew Leslie would need.

She even had on a very pretty printed top that was _not_ maternity clothing and definitely something an eighteen year old girl would wear, pregnant or not.

Now, Ben’s whispering in her ear she has more presents at the house.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, winding around her with his hands on her belly. She says she’s great. When they reach the car, Ingrid approaches them.

“Ben said we could all come back to his place for your cake and then I’ll just tell mom and dad you’re sleeping at Ann’s.”

Leslie beams at her beautiful best friend and Ann rolls her eyes.

“We know you’re not sleeping at my house Leslie.”

“I could! I love sleeping at your house!” She used to sleep at Ann’s house all the time. That’s the thing she hates most about this. It’s different. She’s pregnant and people don’t invite her to sleepovers or they assume she’ll want to spend time with Ben or alone. Lindsay had a rollerskating party a few weeks earlier Leslie wasn’t invited to (much to Ben’s dismay). She just feels so...excluded.

“You know I love sleeping at your house still, right?” Leslie suddenly squeaks, pulling away from Ben. “I love it very much and I love you very much. Just because I’m pregnant…”

Ingrid’s eyes widen with horror and Ann quickly springs into action, wrapping her up as tears spill down her cheeks.

“Les, we know that.”

Her belly’s squished between them, but Leslie hugs as tightly as she dares. Ann pecks her forehead and rubs her back.

“You can sleep at my house if you want, Les” Ann says that, but Leslie wonders how true it is. Not that the Perkins have been acting strangely around her or anything, but they definitely seem to be sizing her up a lot more than they used to. It’s as if they’re trying to reconcile within themselves that she’s the same Leslie.

“Maybe you guys can all sleep at my place” Ben suggests carefully, like he knows what’s running through Leslie’s mind. “We’ll go back for cake and I’ll ask Chris, alright?”

Leslie wants to kiss him (but she won’t, because people get uncomfortable when they make out too much). She definitely holds his hand on the drive back to the house though. Chris is more than happy to accommodate everyone for the evening. Ann, Ingrid and Leslie and the belly end up all falling asleep on Ben’s bed after too many red vines and Casablanca.

It’s just like old times. Except Leslie feels Ben’s lips on her forehead as she’s dozing before he whispers he’s going to sleep on the couch.

*****

The best thing about Ben moving out is they have a place with some privacy to spend time together and have lots of awesome sex.

The worst thing is between working full time at the accounting firm, the bookstore and picking up shifts at a campus bar on the weekends Leslie never sees Ben to have sex with.

One day in February she drags her very pregnant self over to the house. Chris lets her in and cheerfully says Ben’s still at work. That’s fine, Leslie can wait. She sits on his bed holding her belly and does just that.

He takes so long to show up she’s fallen asleep by the time he does appear. He covers her with a blanket. When she awakens Leslie cries.

“I miss you.” She pushes her forehead to his. “We miss you. I miss seeing you and talking to you and spending time together. And I love you so much for working so hard so I can go to school and so the baby will have everything they need, but I miss you so much, Ben.”

He wraps her up and pulls her into his lap.

“I’m sorry, babydoll.”

“Me too.”

“Why don’t you sleep here tonight-”He nibbles her lower lip when they somehow end up in a kiss. “And tomorrow we’ll do something just the two of us.”

“It’s Saturday. You have - ”

“Mr. Geraldine gave me the day off. He also thinks I might be working too hard. So do your parents.”

She smiles. “I can’t sleep here, they’ll murder me.”

“Ohhhh.” He rolls her onto the bed.“That’s where you’re wrong. I actually called your dad and told him the plan.”

Leslie sits up. “What?”

“He agreed you should rest and I’d like to spend all day with you tomorrow.” He kisses her deeply. “So we decided you should sleep here. If you want of course.” 

She wants to more than anything.

He makes her dinner. They sit at the table and hold hands and talk about baby things. Ron’s building a crib and there’s a baby name book on the table and she wants to explode with joy. He kisses her hard when she tells him she got early acceptance to college.

They fall asleep talking and he wakes her up by mumbling to her stomach. They stroll around the park for twenty minutes or so and end up walking right into her parents. Leslie squawks. It’s more than a little strange having them know she spent the night with her boyfriend.

 _With their permission_.

“I’ll make you a deal.” Robert slides an arm around her as Marlene and Ben head over to get coffees, and a hot chocolate for Leslie.

“You can spend weekends at Ben’s house until the baby is born.” Robert declares. “So long as you keep up with all your school work and stay on track for graduation.”

Leslie shoots her father a look and he chuckles. As if she’d ever drop the ball on graduation. An apocalypse couldn’t stop her.

“However, after the baby is born your mom and I still think you should live with us for the first little while; the until graduation rule still applies. You’ll be glad for the help, trust me” he glances in the direction of the coffee cart. “Ben can too if he’d like.”

“In my bed” she demands. “I want him to sleep in my bed not in the basement. I’m eighteen and we’ll have a baby together and theoretically I could move out for good if I wanted to. I love you both very much, but I want Ben to sleep in my bed.”

Robert sighs and nods.

“In your bed, then.”

Leslie flings her arms around his neck and squeezes tightly. He rubs her back. She wants to ask what brought on the sudden change of heart but it doesn’t really matter. Ben is a good man and a great boyfriend and will be an even better father.

“So weekends at Ben’s” Marlene confirms when they get back. “And he’s going to take one day off a week. That’s an order.”

“Yes” Ben agrees obediently. “One day off a week.”

“Preferably two” Marlene lifts an eyebrow. “Two jobs are plenty, Ben. You need to spend time with each other before the baby gets here. Also, one dinner with us a week, the whole family”

Leslie’s heart swells when Marlene looks at him pointedly, because it means she’s including him in that. He’s part of the whole family. Ben agrees again and takes Leslie by the hand. Later, she’ll ask him what he said to her father to ease the tension.

Ben will say it was man-to-man, so his lips are sealed.

*****

She goes into labor on a Thursday.

Ben’s at work, she’s out of school and Ingrid’s home between classes. Ingrid yelps when Leslie announces her water broke, calls their parents, and then yanks on Leslie’s arm and pulls her out to the car.

She’s a little panicky. Leslie’s so busy trying to calm her sister down she forgets she’s in pain.

“What about Ben?” Leslie breathes as Ingrid peels out onto the main road, complexion a little green.

“Mom’s going to call him.”

Leslie loves her family. She really, really does. Ingrid drives (just a little erratically) and skids up to the emergency room entrance. Leslie gets helped from the car and Ingrid goes to park while they wheel her up to the delivery wing.

Ben arrives about an hour into labor with her parents right behind him. He reaches for her hand and kisses her deeply, even though she’s a sweaty mess and trying to catch her breath between contractions. He asks what she needs and she just grips his fingers as the next wave of pain washes over her.

*****

It’s a girl.

A tiny girl with light brown baby hair and big blue eyes. She’s a healthy 7lbs 0oz, she’s all squishy and pink and she wails on Leslie’s chest as tears stream down Leslie’s cheeks. They take Elisabeth Wyatt (Betty, Leslie’s already decided) to the nursery right away. Marlene and Ingrid are already on the move.

“That baby’s not leaving my sight,” Ingrid informs the nurse, who’s already irritated by demands for cold compresses and more ice chips. Ingrid winks at Leslie and they bustle out the door.

Ben either doesn’t know or doesn’t care her father’s back in the room. He presses his forehead against Leslie’s and they breathe together. It’s hard to stay awake, Leslie’s eyelids are already drooping, but she needs this moment first. She touches his damp cheek and he wipes hers.

“You good?” he asks in a shaky voice. Leslie sniffles and nods as he hugs her more tightly.

“Alright Daddy.” A new nurse appears. “Let’s get Mommy cleaned up so she can rest. You can come back in a little while.”

Ben nods, hesitantly, and steps back from the bed. Robert leans forward and kisses Leslie too.

“She’s beautiful.” Robert tells her. “You did great, sweetheart.”

On the way out the door, Leslie watches him clasp Ben firmly on the shoulder and offer a little smile, which Ben returns.

She knew they’d hit it off eventually.

*****

It’s chaos.

They move back into the house with her parents. Betty sleeps poorly (Ben says she gets that from Leslie) and cries at all hours. Ingrid’s missing her beauty sleep and ends up functioning in a state of “moderately cranky” for most of the first few months. She does, however, book herself, Leslie and Marlene a day of pampering two months in.

Ben waits on Leslie hand and foot when he’s home. He even takes a week’s vacation from work to help “his girls” get settled.

He sleeps in her bed, as planned. Every night they cuddle up together on her too-small mattress and listen to the soft sounds of Betty breathing on the baby monitor. It’s a little crackly, but it’s somehow soothing. She also always wakes up wailing at two hour intervals. Any deviation in the pattern sends Leslie into an instant panic.

It’s maternal instinct or something.

Around three weeks in, at 4am, Leslie jolts awake. Betty hasn’t cried since midnight, which obviously makes Leslie think something horrible has happened to her tiny baby.

It hasn’t. Ben’s asleep in the rocking chair, their daughter wrapped in the snuggliest blanket they were gifted (her mother sewed it herself). Robert’s there too, watching them from the doorway as Ben cradles Betty’s head protectively.

“Dad,” she whispers. “Go to bed.”

Robert turns, and even if the dim light Leslie can tell his eyes are a little misty.

“I used to do this with you,” he murmurs as he slides an arm around her.

Of course Leslie, still hormonal, sobs quietly into his chest at that.

*****

Betty’s at Leslie’s graduation. She’s alert, sitting on Ben’s lap in the sweetest little blue dress Auntie Ingrid picked out especially for the occasion. The whole family is there too, and a few people from school express their surprise that she managed to do it, have a baby during senior year and still graduate _and_ be valedictorian.

Of course she managed. She’s Leslie Knope and she has the most amazing support system in the world.

Ben picks her up and kisses her when he sees her after the ceremony. He says her speech was perfect.

It was. He helped her write it, after all.

*****

Leslie comes home from freshman orientation feeling positive about everything. College even has an on-site day care at a reasonable price for _young mothers_ that will work around hers and Ben’s schedules. They also have a housing department that offered to help them find a place close to campus so she can walk all year round. Betty’s babbling in her ear (it’s constant now, as is playing with whoever’s hair is nearest). Leslie’s so distracted she misses the folded piece of paper with her name on it on the first pass.

When Betty’s in a fresh diaper and Leslie’s trying to find Cuddles the Bunny (Ben named it , of course) she spots the paper on the hall table.

It’s a message is in Ben’s handwriting, short and to the point.

_Leslie and Betty,_

_Meet me at Ramsett park at 4pm for a post-college orientation surprise._

_Love,_

_Ben xoxo_

It’s a romantic picnic, Leslie realizes as her heart flutters with affection. Her boyfriend planned a romantic picnic for them. Leslie glances at the clock and wants to pout because it’s barely 1:30, but she knows she should eat something and Betty definitely needs her nap. Leslie puts the baby to sleep (she goes down easily now, just like Ben), calls Ingrid who says she’s heard nothing about a surprise, and then makes herself some lunch.

At 3:30PM she covers Betty in a hat and pushes the stroller to Ramsett park. They arrive at 3:46 and Leslie’s surprised to see not Ben, but Ann at the entrance. Ann waves excitedly; her hair’s nicely curled and she’s in a form-fitting printed dress. Leslie does a double take. Was she supposed to have changed? Nobody told her to change…

“What’s happening?”

“Your surprise.”

Leslie glances down at her clothes - an ill-fitting tank top and jean shorts - but Ann quickly waves her off.

“We brought you something to wear.”

“Oh, but - ”

“Betty too, let’s go!”

Leslie doesn’t get a chance to say anything else as Ann drags her down the walkway. They stroll past the playground and the duck pond and come to stop in front of the gazebo. It’s decorated with flowers and tulle. It’s still sunny out, but there are small lights tucked between slats in the wood. Leslie’s breath catches.

What the what?

Behind the gazebo in an open field are two small tents. Ann starts walking again, weaving through the narrow path (almost too narrow for the stroller), until they come to stand in front of one. Her mother appears in a nice, plum dress that hits her right at the knee.

“Mom - ”

“Ann’s going to get Betty ready, you come with me. We don’t have much time.”

“Time for what - ”

“To get you ready.”

“Ready for _what_?”

“The surprise.”

Ugh, everyone’s being extremely unhelpful.

*****

It’s when Ingrid pulls back the zipper of a garment bag that it clicks.

Because in said garment bag is a white dress.

It’s nothing fancy, really. It’s perfect for a quiet Friday afternoon wedding in the park, but Leslie’s instantly in tears. Ingrid hugs her and says something about Ben going to her father’s office to plan the whole thing and Marlene assures Leslie she absolutely does not have to do this. She doesn’t have to get married at 18 even if she loves Ben. They can wait.

But she wants to be married to him. She wants them to be an official family.

Betty’s in a soft, lavender dress that she does not seem to be a fan of. Marlene takes a dozen pictures and then shushes her gently when she starts to fuss. Leslie waves and promises everything’s fine. Ann takes over her hair while Ingrid does her makeup.

Calling it a small wedding would be an understatement. Ben’s already in the gazebo with his back to her, but Leslie would know that slight but powerful frame anywhere. Her father’s there too, in a simple navy suit. When Leslie walks around the front to music playing she sees the other two men are Henry and Chris.

Julia and Stephanie will be sad they're not there, Leslie imagines. They’ll have to plan a reception in Minnesota or something.

Holy crap, she’s getting married today.

There are hugs and more crying, and at one point Betty falls asleep on Auntie Ingrid, but mostly there’s just Ben. He takes her hands in his and looks like he’s itching to kiss her before they even get started.

He draws her fingers to his lips as the officiant starts.

It’s over much more quickly than it began and Ben kisses her like they’re alone, ignoring the teasing he gets from his brother. He definitely kisses her like her parents aren’t watching. Betty starts to whine, so Ben takes her and lightly presses his mouth all over her cheeks and forehead.

He dances with Leslie in the JJ’s parking lot when they’re finally alone. Everyone’s inside waiting for reception waffles, but Ben turns up his car stereo and pulls her to the pavement. They sway and kiss some more in the sunset, but mostly they just hold each other.

“Wife.”

“Husband.”

He trails a finger down her spine. “You know this was supposed to happen, maybe not this early, but the first day I met you I knew I was supposed to marry you.”

“Mhmmm.” She smiles as he turns her face up to meet his. She could say something about how he’d been on a date with her sister that night, but it means nothing. It never did.

Instead, she just finds his lips again as they dance.


End file.
